Back home to Winter

We are back home just in time for a late winter storm.

Even the local muskrat was out .
Feels good to be home.

Florida Wildlife

Sanderling

 Snowy egret

 Squirrel

 Royal Tern

Gopher Tortoise

 Brown Anole

 Snowy Egret, Anhinga, & Great Blue Heron

Alligator

Banyon Street on Boca Grande

Boca Grande has a street named Banyon Street.

The entire street is lined with stately banyon trees.

 It is a common site for weddings and photographs.

Spring Training

One activity that we planned was attending a Spring training game,

Tampa Bay Rays versus the Boston Red Sox.

Hubby finally getting to do something he wants!

Getting the field ready.

A balmy 86.

 PLAY BALL!

Gasparilla Island Lighthouse

Next stop is Boca Grande, on Gasparilla Island jutting into Charolotte Harbor.

At the southern tip of the isle sits the historic Port Boca Grande Lighthouse.

 

It isn't a typical tall lighthouse, but it has weathered 7 hurricanes.

The lighthouse is located in Gasparilla Island State Park.

 

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Rainbow Springs State Park

While enjoying Cracker Days, we wandered around the beautiful Rainbow Springs State Park.

The park is the site of an old amusement park and there are many man-made waterfalls.

Boardwalks lead to lovely Shangri-la like scenes.

 

The springs forming the Rainbow River bubble up from underground into the warm pools

and the water is so crystal clear you can see fish swimming.

 

 

The waters are perfect for canoeing & kayaking, and

there is a roped off area for swimmimg, although there are aligators in the area.

This is truely a lovely park.

 

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Cracker Weekend

We've escaped winter and headed for Florida.

Our first weekend here, we stayed in the Ocala area and visited the

Cracker Days Festival at Rainbow Springs State Park.

The festival is a celebration of Florida "crackers", early ranchers in the area.

A Cracker settlement

Cracker life included huts made from palm fronds,

but they did enjoy music.

Many historical trades were represented such as blacksmithing,

spinning,

and carving.

Even the Cracker horse was represented.

It was an interesting morning.

 

 

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